The Kano State House of Assembly in northern Nigeria has abolished five Emirates in Kano and dethroned the five Emirs in the state.
According to the report by Vanguard newspaper on Thursday, the development followed a special session by the lawmakers on the floor of the House of Assembly presided over by the Speaker, RT. Hon. Jibrin Falgore.
The report added that at the resumed proceeding, the House of Assembly passed the Kano emirates council law (repeal bill) 2024 after scaling 3rd reading.
With this action, all offices established under the repealed law have been set aside by the new bill, while all district heads elevated or appointed under the repealed law are to revert to their previous positions.
The Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Law, 2024, was sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing the Dala Constituency, Lawan Hussaini Chediyar Yan Gurasa.
It will be recalled that the law, which created the five new emirates was first assented to by the former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on December 5, 2019.
The governor assented to an amendment to the law on October 14, 2020 and signed another amendment on April 11, 2023.
Section 3(1) of the law established five distinct emirates; Kano, Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye, with Kano and Karaye having eight local government areas of jurisdiction each, while Bichi and Gaya emirates share 9 local government areas of jurisdiction each, Rano Emirate enjoys jurisdiction over 10 local government areas out of the 44 local councils in the state.
When Emir Muhammadu Sanusi, who chaired the council, was deposed on March 9, 2020, the law was amended to read: “There shall be the chairman of the council who shall be the emir, Kano Emirate”.
Section 12 provides that the governor may grade the office of an emir first, second, or third class subject to the approval of the House of Assembly.
It was gathered that this development will pave way for the reinstatement of the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
Meanwhile, there is no official statement from the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Yusuf, who is said to be holding a closed door meeting with some state legislators and other top officials of the state.
It was also gathered that the reinstated Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II has started receiving congratulatory messages from some state governors and his supporters.
The Punch has reported that the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has congratulated His Royal Highness, Muhammadu Sanusi II on his reinstatement as the 14th Emir of Kano.
According to the report, the statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, on Thursday, stated that Governor Fubara also expressed excitement upon hearing the news of the reinstatement of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Khalifa Sanusi II.
It added that the governor said the announcement also coincided with Sanusi’s visit to Rivers State, where he was supporting the administration’s efforts to reshape the state’s economic trajectory.
The Governor also noted that Sanusi’s reinstatement by the Kano State Government at this time shows that Muhammad Sanusi II’s dethronement on March 9, 2020, was against the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kano State.
GIK/APA